


Below

by WickedWitchoftheWilds



Series: Project Olympus [4]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Angst, Attempted Sexual Assault, Blood and Injury, Boarding School, Cerberus - Freeform, Death, Emotional Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, Gen, Grief, Human Experimentation, Hurt, Loss, Microaggresion, Pre-Andromeda, Prequel, Unethical Experimentation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:20:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28587090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WickedWitchoftheWilds/pseuds/WickedWitchoftheWilds
Summary: So-Hee loses everything in a moment and is placed in a boarding school until she is 18. But the school and its inhabitants are not what they seem.*A prequel to Send the Pain Below*
Relationships: OC/OC
Series: Project Olympus [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1036232
Comments: 15
Kudos: 4





	1. Penthos

Life was determined by moments.

The knock on the door while So-Hee watched cartoons on the couch. Her mother answering it, bits of dough still clinging to her fingertips. The sharp, high-pitched keen that escaped her throat when they told her that her husband wouldn’t be coming home again. So-Hee didn’t understand much about death then. About how permanent it was. It wasn't until her mother’s nails dug into her arm until blood welled up from the scratches and she cried and begged and pleaded for So-Hee to stop asking when he was coming home, that she understood he wasn’t.

Black dresses and flowers. The smell was strong. Cloying. People shuffled in and out. Voices tinged with sadness and tears in their eyes. Her grandmother staying close because her mother couldn’t even look at her. Wouldn’t. They flocked to her—the grieving widow—leaving So-Hee with her father’s family.

A suitcase thrown on the bed early in the morning. A demand to pack, to shove her small life inside the bag. The quiet. Stretching and stagnant between them. A shuttle ride. Then a car. Her mother’s only parting words for her to be good, well-behaved. Nothing pertaining to love or sorrow. So-Hee was handed off.

The best summer her grandmother could give her. Trips to the museums and the zoo. Days filled with cooking and gardening and love. Days she wouldn’t have had with her mother.

Then it was time for school. So-Hee knew her mother wasn’t coming for her then.

The transition was hard. So-Hee was angry. Bitter. She refused to listen. She argued. Her power, her strength, became harder to predict. She bent pull-up bars on accident and crushed tablets and books to dust. That year she became quite proficient in learning how to patch holes in walls with her grandmother’s guidance.

Sometimes she wondered if she did it because she hoped her mother would come back if she caught her attention.

It never worked.

So-Hee always felt untethered no matter how much her grandmother tried to anchor her.

Then came Seo-Joon.

Her best friend. Only friend. The son of a family friend. The son of the man her grandmother sent her to learn control and discipline. Nam Seo-Joon was a pain in her ass. He teased her. Constantly. Years of teasing and jokes and pranks. And So-Hee gave as good as she got.

Thick as thieves her grandmother always said. He was the anchor So-Hee so desperately needed. Even more so when she revealed her strength and it changed nothing. The years flew by. Her final year of school. He was already graduated. So-Hee didn’t know exactly when she fell in love with him, but when he told her he was leaving for the military, it hit her like a punch to the gut. She loved him and he was leaving her. Snapping the cord. Leaving her to drown.

Until he kissed her. The air thick with perfume from her grandmother’s rose garden. Stars twinkled overhead. Her sadness dampened by a single promise. _I’ll come back and then you’re stuck with me forever._ The goodbye only bittersweet now. Hope for her future, one with Seo-Joon, flickered within her.

But life was determined by moments.

And it only took one to ruin everything.

So-Hee was walking home from school, taking her time so she could unroll the waistband of her skirt. The last time her grandmother had caught her, she had been grounded for a week. After her grandmother chuckled of course. So-Hee was always finding a way to break rules, whether it was a major rule or a dress code violation. Most of the teachers didn’t even bother writing her up anymore. It’s not like it stopped her.

Her aunt’s car in the driveway made her pause. The closest aunt was an hour away. And they usually didn’t visit until the weekends. That’s when So-Hee should’ve known something was wrong. A part of her had thought so. But she had batted the stray thought right out of her head. Her grandmother was healthy. Always had been. Nothing could be wrong. So-Hee entered her home, repeating it over and over again like a mantra.

 _Nothing wrong_. All three of her aunts were sitting around the empty kitchen table. _Nothing wrong_. They looked at her all at once, tissues clutched in their hands, their eyes and noses and cheeks were red. _Nothing wrong_. A sickness hidden to keep her from worrying. A cancer that burrowed its way from her lungs to her cervix. _Nothing wrong_. Did her best to keep it from So-Hee. Didn’t want their time together to be tainted by inevitable death. _Nothing_ —

“I want to see her.”

Only one chased after her. The other two too afraid of her anger. Of her strength. One wrong move, one wrong word, and she would bring this house down. Why should it stand without her grandmother sheltered inside of it?

“She’s gone, So-Hee.”

Room after room. Empty. Blank. So-Hee needed to see her. She couldn’t be gone. If she was gone then So-Hee was lost. There was no one. No one left who wanted her. She was born into this world already hated and there where nowhere left in this world where she was safe and loved.

Hands touched her arm. Arms wrapped around her midsection. Not the arms she wanted. These were arms that were still afraid of her. Arms that were scared of how easily they could be broken if she so much as took a step. Afraid. Everyone was so damn afraid.

Life. That’s what life would be now. A life where everyone was afraid of her.

_Yes._

She was lost.

Bare knees hit the wood floor. Splinters stuck into her skin. Something else that would need to be fixed. Arms tried to keep her upright. Hands smoothed her hair back from her face. But they were not comforting. They were placating. To keep her rage at bay. They didn’t know her at all. None of them.

Wails ripped from her throat and resounded through the hall. Hot tears burned the skin of her cheeks. They dripped onto the floor, seeping into the new cracks. Maybe if she cried enough the entire house would fill up. They could all drown in her loss.

So-Hee’s eyes closed, the tears burning her eyes. When she opened them again, she would wake up from this awful dream.

 _Wake up_.

Three days.

So-Hee stared balefully at her pressed black dress hanging over the closet door. Her grandmother would’ve wanted her to wear a hanbok. But she wasn’t left in charge of planning the funeral. The aunts tried to respect her grandmother’s traditions, but too many people wouldn’t understand. Excuses. They didn’t want to understand. And the aunts should know better by now. Halmeoni never shied away from her heritage. But they were making her do just that in her death.

Her ashes sat in the living room next to her portrait and daffodils, her favorite flowers. The aunts had tried to fight her on the flowers. _They’re not right for a funeral._ But she didn’t budge. The rest of the sitting room was filled with flower wreaths, bouquets, and condolence cards from family members, friends, and the consulate. People mourning that giant space her grandmother left behind. No one could fill it.

The smell of kimchi stew made her move. Her stomach growled against her will. At least the aunts were taking care of the food. So-Hee wasn’t much for the type of casseroles some people would be bringing by.

She changed into the dress and stuffed her feet into slippers. Voices drifted down the hallway as she walked to the kitchen. More aunts, uncles, and cousins were split between the sitting room and the kitchen and dining room. People she didn’t really know. And people that didn’t know her. But based on the looks thrown her way, they knew of her. The unwanted child. Grandmother was so kind to take her in with her… _problem_.

A bowl of rice and stew was pushed her way when she sat down. Everything else was off-limits until the other guests showed up. So-Hee tried to ignore the stares as everything hit her empty stomach. They didn’t want her here. She didn’t want to be here.

It was going to be a long day.

 _Wake up_.

So-Hee hid in the sitting room for most of the funeral room. People drifted in and out to stare at her grandmother’s portrait or add to the growing number of flowers. Nobody stayed and she was thankful for that. Some nodded at her. Or gave her a pained expression like it was somehow supposed to make her feel better.

_How did I not know?_

Some even spoke to her to offer condolences. Her responses were automatic…flat.

_How did I not see?_

She just wanted this day to end. It couldn’t possibly get any worse.

“So-Hee.”

She was wrong. It could always get worse.

The familiar voice made her stiffen. She hadn’t heard it for a long time. And that had been a blessing. But now— _why now_ —that person was standing in front of her. So-Hee looked up.

Park Min-Seo, no she wasn’t Park anymore. Kim Min-Seo stood in front of her. Her mother’s eyes were just as cold as she remembered. Dark sunglasses were resting on top of her head. Her slacks were crisp and freshly pressed and her dark blouse matched her eyes.

So-Hee hoped it was her grief making her see things.

Min-Seo’s mouth was pinched in discomfort. “I’m sorry about your grandmother—”

_Liar._

“I know how much she meant to you.”

_She was the mother you weren’t._

“I’ve made arrangements. A place for you to stay.”

_A place that isn’t with you._

“I don’t want to rush you—”

_Bullshit._

“But I don’t have much time. Get ready to—”

“No.”

Min-Seo was taken aback, but it wasn’t So-Hee that answered. Her aunt was standing in the doorway. The only one that had even tried to comfort So-Hee. With clenched fists, her aunt stared down Min-Seo. “She isn’t going anywhere with you.”

“Ah. It’s nice to see you Soo-Young—”

“Don’t,” her aunt cut Min-Seo off. “We all know you too well Min-Seo, and the lengths you have gone to abandon your own daughter. She isn’t going with you. You will not separate her from her own family.”

Min-Seo smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. It was the smile of someone that was going to do exactly what she wanted, and no one was going to stop her. That summed up her mother neatly. “As you said, she is my daughter. And I have made arrangements for her. Unless of course, there is a matter of guardianship that I wasn’t made aware of.”

“I am willing to take her, Min-Seo,” her aunt answered. “There is no need for your cruelty.”

“I am doing what is best,” Min-Seo said, dismissing the notion with a wave of her hand. “I’ve found a place that will fit her needs until she is 18.” She turned to So-Hee. “Let’s go.”

“At least let her get her things,” Soo-Young argued.

“Unnecessary. She will be provided for.”

“Just where are you taking her?”

But Min-Seo didn’t answer. She gestured for So-Hee to move. So-Hee stood up from her chair. She didn’t want to go, but there was nothing she could do. Even if she tried to run, where would she go? There was nowhere.

So-Hee went to follow Min-Seo out the door, but a hand on her arm stopped her. That hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her forward into a hug. Her aunt patted So-Hee’s hair. “I’m so sorry, So-Hee. I’ll find you. I’ll bring you back. I promise.”

_No. You won’t._

“So-Hee.”

Starting slightly, So-Hee leaned back from the window. Her mother was sitting in the backseat next to her. They had been in the car for a few hours. So-Hee wasn’t sure of the exact amount of time. She should’ve been keeping track. Because there was no way she was staying wherever the hell Min-Seo was taking her.

All she had to remember was where the main road was. As long as she knew that, she could get anywhere she needed. She knew she wouldn’t go back. Her aunt had said those things, but she didn’t mean them. Empty platitudes. Something to make So-Hee feel better. But they didn’t. She knew she wasn’t wanted by anyone in her family. She was on her own now.

So-Hee smoothed her hands down the dress. She should’ve insisted in changing anyway. It sucked that this was the outfit she had to leave in. Her mother wouldn’t even let her finish out the funeral. But that was Min-Seo. She was probably angry she had to take a break from her perfect life, and probably lied to her husband about where she would be, to “handle” So-Hee. Anything to keep them from finding out. She didn’t know where she was going, but she sure as hell knew she wasn’t going to be living with her mother and a stepdad.

“You’ll be 18 in six months,” her mother said.

 _Wow, you actually remembered_.

“After that, you can live your life how you like,” Min-Seo continued. “But for now, I am spending a lot of money to send you here to keep you safe.”

“To keep me quiet,” So-Hee muttered, unable to keep her bitterness to herself anymore.

Min-Seo sighed. “I don’t expect you to understand what I’ve sacrificed for you—”

“Sacrifice?” So-Hee scoffed. “The moment dad died you shoved me onto someone else, and now that grandma is dead, you’re doing it again. You’re not sacrificing anything! You’re just hiding me so I don’t fuck up your new life.”

“You’re too dangerous, So-Hee,” her mother’s voice was quiet and wet like she was holding back tears. It was fake. Something she had always done to get her way. To make So-Hee the bad guy. “You have little control over yourself and your strength. I can’t have you around the little ones.”

She reached to take So-Hee’s hands in hers. So-Hee wanted to pull away. _Don’t touch me._ When was the last time her mother had even touched her? And not just to manipulate So-Hee, but genuinely hug her or give a comforting touch. So-Hee couldn’t remember a time. It was always performative. Just enough affection to bend So-Hee’s will, to make So-Hee eager for love and approval. And of course, it worked every time.

“I need you to promise me something,” her mother whispered.

So-Hee clenched her teeth and pursed her lips shut. Whatever it was, she wasn’t going to do it. Min-Seo could go fuck herself.

“So-Hee.” Min-Seo’s voice was firmer, her hand moved to cup So-Hee’s chin. “I can’t spare the time if the school calls me, and I have to keep my family safe—”

_Your family without me._

“Just promise me, until you’re an adult, please live like you don’t exist.” Her mother’s nails dug into the skin of her cheek. “Stay quiet. Don’t give them a reason to contact me. Maybe you’ll even like it. And you can live quietly as an adult too.”

 _Live like you don’t exist_.

Of all the things Min-Seo had ever said to her, this was the worst.

Min-Seo shook her slightly. “You can do that for me, So-Hee. Can’t you? Huh?” She kept asking, not even giving So-Hee time to think or process. “Do it for your mother. Promise me.”

“I…” So-Hee felt like she might vomit. Her eyes began to burn, but she refused to cry in front of Min-Seo. “P…promise.”

The tension left Min-Seo’s body all at once. “Thank you, So-Hee.” She moved and there was space between them once more.

So-Hee didn’t answer. Not that Min-Seo expected an answer after that. She was perfectly fine not speaking to So-Hee, and now there wasn’t much reason to. So-Hee focused on the back of the driver’s seat, staring at the grey leather until it was blurry. Of all things to make her promise, So-Hee couldn’t believe her mother chose that.

The next half-hour passed in tense silence. So-Hee wanted out of this car. At this point, she didn’t care if she injured herself. She wanted to kick the door off its hinges and jump ship. It was better than spending one more second in this car.

The car turned down a side road that was only big enough for one car. It was lined with trees on each side. Maybe So-Hee was going to be swallowed by the woods after all.

Twenty more minutes and the road widened into a driveway. A gate was open, and her mother’s driver drove right through them. It was clear they were expected. The driveway was a large stone circle with a fountain smack dab in the middle. The driver pulled up to a large black door. Someone was already waiting on the front steps.

When So-Hee got out of the car, she able to get a better look at the school. The outside was a grey brick and there were windows everywhere. She could even see a few faces in those windows. It looked nice enough, but So-Hee couldn’t help the way her stomach twisted the longer she stared at it.

The person waiting was a young woman with her hair pulled back in a tight bun. Her black skirt went down to her ankles and her white blouse was buttoned up to her neck. So-Hee could hear the clack of her heels as she descended the steps. Despite the demure outfit, her lips were overlined with a deep red lipstick.

“Welcome,” she said, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. “I am headmistress Valeria Coulte. Ms. Coulte will do nicely.”

A school. A boarding school? Her mother was going to send her to a school? It had to be a joke. How was So-Hee going to live quietly in a school? Clearly, her mother didn’t know her very well at all if she thought So-Hee would behave here. It would serve her right. So-Hee should disrupt her life as much as possible.

Ms. Coulte held out her hand for So-Hee to shake. “I am very sorry to hear of your loss So-Hee. But I want you to know that you won’t be alone here, we’re all going to be here for you.”

So-Hee didn’t like how cold her hand was.

Ms. Coulte turned to Min-Seo and they ignored So-Hee. It gave So-Hee time to give the house another once over. It was huge. There had to be a lot of students here. Or she would think so at least. But she still couldn’t shake the strange atmosphere. Like it was less of a school and more of a…

Prison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All kudos, comments, and bookmarks are loved! I hope you guys enjoyed this update.
> 
> You should totally come hang out with me on [Tumblr!](https://wickedwitchofthewilds.tumblr.com)
> 
> If you want to know what kind of music I listen to while writing this then check out my playlist: [Below](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5xMPGKGL2wlaqfPYXbsClZ?si=SDB0_mBGQJm8_i5pKYAUVA)


	2. Abandoned

So-Hee sat outside the headmistress’ office. They had told her it wouldn’t take long. Just a matter of paperwork. But half an hour later and the wooden seat of the chair was digging into the back of her thighs. She picked at the fabric of the dress. She wasn’t even given time to change or grab anything of her. She had nothing now. Why had she let this happen? Why is it every time her mother showed up, So-Hee didn’t fight back. Every single time her mother showed up, she felt like that crying and screaming little girl that wondered why mommy hated her so much and when mommy was going to come get her and be a family again. And every time her grandmother tried to soothe her.

That was so many years ago. There was nothing salvageable between them anymore.

_Live like you don’t exist._

So-Hee bit down on her lower lip. The coppery taste of blood filled her mouth.

She didn’t want to be here. And if she had her way, she wouldn’t be staying here. This place was surrounded by woods. She could use them for cover to make it back to the main road. After that, she could hitchhike if necessary. Find a random city, get a job, and lay low for a few months. All she could do was go forward now, there was nothing to look back to.

_I can find Seo-Joon._

_No._

_I’ll just get him in trouble._

The door opened and So-Hee stood up from her chair. A reflex from all the times she had been sent to the office in school. Although, usually, she was waiting for the principal and her grandmother with their equally disappointed looks. This time it was two strangers, one of them being her mother.

Her mother took her sunglasses from the top of her head and put them on. Her gaze didn’t even linger on So-Hee. There were no traces of regret or guilt. Just…nothing. She turned to the headmistress. “Thank you for allowing her to enroll on such short notice.”

Miss Valeria inclined her head. “Of course. I understand how difficult children can be—”

So-Hee fought the urge to scoff.

“But I can assure you, we will take very good care of her.”

Not that her mother cared at all. So-Hee could end up dead in a ditch and her mother would not be the person to find her.

With a nod at So-Hee, the weight of the promise in the small movement, Min-Seo turned and walk out the door without so much as a goodbye. It was about what she expected. That just left So-Hee with the headmistress. The woman unnerved her. Something about the way she looked at So-Hee. Like she was constantly appraising and searching for something. It made So-Hee’s skin crawl.

Miss Valeria reached to grip So-Hee’s shoulder. “I’m so very sorry about your grandmother. You must be hurting.”

So-Hee wanted to shrug her off. “I’m okay,” she said automatically.

Miss Valeria’s mouth twitched into something akin to a sympathetic smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “It’s alright So-Hee. I think you’ll find the people here know what you’re going through. We’re here for you.”

So-Hee didn’t know what to say. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She knew what she wanted to say, but she didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to herself. If she made them think she was compliant, then they wouldn’t suspect she would try to leave. So-Hee opened her mouth to force herself to answer, but the sound of high heels clicking against the wood floors made her pause.

Turning slightly, So-Hee could see a woman hurrying down the hall towards them. Her copper hair was pulled into a loose braid. Her dark green eyes looked much kinder than the headmistress’.

“Ms. Robinson,” the headmistress greeted the woman. “So nice of you to finally join us.”

“I’m sorry,” the woman said with a lilt. “I was needed in the common room.” Her eyes moved to So-Hee. “You must be our new student! I’m Lea Robinson. I’m the counselor.”

“Just one?” So-Hee blurted out.

She smiled. “We have a small class. It allows us to work better with individual students.”

“Well,” the headmistress interjected. “Now that you two are acquainted, I believe I will take my leave.” She squeezed So-Hee’s shoulder one more time. “Feel free to find me if you need me.”

_I won’t._

She and Lea waited until the headmistress disappeared back into her office. Even Lea looked a little less tense without her presence. She smiled at So-Hee, her smile bright. “Let’s go into my office and get the boring stuff over with.”

So-Hee followed her down the hall towards a large staircase. The counselor’s office was on the same side as the headmistress’ office and it was only twenty feet away. Lea opened her door, a mahogany door with a frosted glass window, and So-Hee followed her into a room that wasn’t much bigger than a closet. An l-shaped desk took up most of the room. The part against the wall had a computer and shelving above that. There were coffee cups, books, and succulents on the shelves. Surprisingly, there were no motivational posters that So-Hee was used to seeing in a counselor’s office. And no personal pictures.

Lea motioned for So-Hee to sit in a chair while she sat down behind the desk. There was already a file on top of the desk. While So-Hee sat down, Lea opened the file folder and grabbed a pen from one of her coffee cups. She looked up at So-Hee, her eyes lingering on So-Hee’s dress and slippers.

“So like I said, I’m the counselor. I’m here for your academic and personal needs.” She paused to write something down before looking back up at So-Hee. “I know it may be hard, but you can be honest here. My files are confidential and unless it’s something I’m required by law to report, nothing goes further than this room.”

A lot of counselors said that, but it didn’t mean it was true.

“I know your grandmother recently passed, I’m very sorry—”

“You’re not,” So-Hee interrupted before clamping her mouth shut.

“I’m not?” Lea asked. “Why do you think that?”

So-Hee leaned forward in the chair, her shoulders hunched inward. Her nails dug into the skin of her arms. “Nobody is,” she muttered. “Not really. The words…they’re just a bandaid.”

Lea set down in her pen and laced her fingers underneath her chin. “I understand feeling that way,” she said, her voice soft. “I lost my parents when I was your age.”

 _I lost mine a long time ago_.

“Whatever you’re feeling, all of the emotions that you’re trying to keep down, I want you to know that it’s okay to feel them,” Lea kept on. “And if you want to talk about them, or anything else, my door is open to you. I’m here to listen and help, if that’s what you want.”

So-Hee didn’t answer her. It didn’t matter that she wanted to talk about them. She didn’t trust this person. And she always had to consider that she had to keep her strength hidden. Even her grandmother had advised her to be careful about who she trusted with that secret. So-Hee couldn’t tell Lea why her mother hated her, without talking about it. She couldn’t talk about why she felt so alone now that her grandmother was gone, without talking about why people are so afraid of her.

Silence was all she had.

But Lea didn’t seem bothered by So-Hee’s silence. She just sat back in her chair and continued chatting away like everything was fine. “The good news is enrolling you is easy. With our small class size, we only have two teachers.”

So-Hee must have made a face because Lea chuckled. “I know. It’s weird. But we only have nine—well ten now—students. Both teachers split the curriculum.”

That was bad. With so few students, it would be harder for So-Hee to get out of here unnoticed. Someone would notice her missing way too quickly for her to get far enough away from here. She would have to come up with a decent plan. Which meant she might have to stay here longer than she wanted.

“You’ll officially meet the teachers tomorrow when you go to class. Today we’ll just show you around and make sure you have what you need to get started,” Lea prattled on. Swiveling to the side in her chair, she opened a filing cabinet and rifled through papers. She pulled out a sheet of paper and began highlighting text. “Breakfast is first thing, of course. Then we have Social Studies, English, Phys. Ed., lunch, Math, and then ending the day with Science.”

So-Hee’s eyes lingered on the color-coded schedule. “Is that…are those all the classes?” she asked.

Lea nodded. “We just focus on core curriculum. There’s a free period between Science and dinner that we encourage students to use to study whatever they’d like. Is there anything you’re interested in?”

So-Hee shrugged.

“Well, we have plenty of material in the library, and if there’s anything specific you’d like you can always submit a request with me for it.” Lea wrote something else in the file. “Do you have any questions?”

So-Hee shook her head.

Lea didn’t look deterred by So-Hee’s apathy. “That’s all for this. Your mother made sure we had all of your school records—”

_That was fast. She must have been planning this for a while._

“Do you have a cell phone or an omnitool bracelet?” Lea asked.

“Why?”

“We ask that all students turn them in. Signal is not very good out here and we find that they can be distracting.”

_I don’t like this._

But it didn’t matter. So-Hee had the implant. Being underage she wasn’t supposed to have it, but when had that ever stopped her? She shook her head.

Lea stood and gestured for So-Hee to follow her out of the room. When they were in the hallway, she shut the door behind them. So-Hee could hear the click of it locking automatically. “Unfortunately, we still need to do a full medical workup.” Lea walked across the hall to another door and knocked gently. At So-Hee’s confused look she continued. “We like to make sure all of our students are in good health. And if they’re not, we can hopefully understand why and make sure they get the care they need.”

“This doesn’t seem like a school,” So-Hee said.

“It is different,” Lea admitted. “I came from the public-school system to this, but I like having a closer relationship with the students. I feel like I am making more of a difference here.”

The door opened and a woman in pressed black slacks and a blue button-up blouse opened the door. She was pulling on a lab overcoat. Looking past her, So-Hee saw another girl already sitting on an examination bed. Blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail. Her ice-blue eyes focused on So-Hee for a few seconds before moving on as if So-Hee wasn’t even there. She stood up, her black plaid skirt hitting just above her knee, and she straightened her white blouse. A black jacket was laying on the bed beside her. Grabbing it from the bed, she slung it over her shoulder and walk out of the room. Her black loafers didn’t make a sound against the floor as she moved.

“Hannah!” Lea called after, making the girl pause. Lea turned back to So-Hee. “Go ahead inside. I’ll be back in a few,” she promised.

So-Hee watched her jog towards Hannah but walked into the nurse’s office before she could overhear their conversation. The nurse gestured to the examination table and So-Hee sat on the edge of it. She hated doctors, nurses, medical facilities, all of it. Part of her was always scared they would somehow find out. They never did. It wasn’t something they could test for.

“My name is Mrs. Johnson,” the nurse said while sliding a blood pressure cuff on her arm. “Do you have any allergies I should be made aware of?”

So-Hee shook her head. The nurse made a noncommittal noise and turned on the cuff. The buzz of the blood pressure cuff was the only sound in the office. It was the polar opposite of being in the counselor’s office. Lea chattered on to fill the silence, but the nurse didn’t bother.

The nurse wrote notes down on a clipboard, the scratching of her pen made So-Hee’s teeth hurt. The blood pressure cuff was still on her arm as the nurse asked her questions about her medical history. There wasn’t really anything notable. The only procedure So-Hee ever had was to have her tonsils taken out when she was six.

Minutes ticked by until Lea finally slipped back into the room. She flashed So-Hee an apologetic smile. “Is everything good?” she asked the nurse.

“I just have to draw blood and then you’re free to go,” Mrs. Johnson answered. Setting down her clipboard, she opened a cabinet by the sink to pull the supplies she needed.

Lea moved closer to So-Hee. “It won’t take much longer. And then we’ll get you settled in for the evening.”

Mrs. Johnson set a caddy down beside So-Hee and pulled out the wrapped needles she would need. So-Hee grimaced. Why did they have to make needles so damn long? She counted the number of vials the nurse pulled out, seven altogether, and wondered why they needed so many. Just what were they testing her for exactly? So-Hee pursed her lips as the nurse swabbed her arm. Closing her eyes, she breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth.

 _Almost there_.

So-Hee followed Lea up the stairs. Her fingers fidgeted with the bright pink gauze wrapped around her elbow. It was a bright contrast to her gloom. On the way up the stairs Lea had told her that the classes were held downstairs, the dining hall and library were also downstairs, they had an outdoor pool, but it was still too cold to use, and they had pizza on Fridays.

“The rec rooms, bathrooms, and bedrooms are on the second floor. And the staff sleep on the third floor.” Lea made a left turn through a door.

So-Hee followed her but stopped in the doorway. It was one large room with five beds on each side. There was a sign above each bed with a name typed on it in large letters. “One bedroom,” she corrected.

Lea turned to her. “What was that?” she asked.

“There’s only one bedroom,” So-Hee repeated.

Lea looked around before chuckling. “Yes, there is. We have more rooms, but with so few students one room works just fine.”

 _Unless someone wanted privacy_.

“There is more than one bathroom, although the showers are communal.”

_Great._

The sound of footsteps made So-Hee turn. A girl around her age entered the room. She was wearing the same uniform as Hannah, except she had her jacket on and buttoned up to her chest. Dark brown hair was pulled back into a bun. Wisps of hair framed her face. Golden brown eyes focused on So-Hee.

“Kelsey,” Lea greeted her. “This is So-Hee, she’ll be joining us.”

Kelsey didn’t say anything, she just stared a hole in So-Hee’s face.

Lea turned back to So-Hee. “Kelsey is going to show you around the school so you know where everything is. She is also going to show where your uniforms are kept and the chores roster.” Lea looked between the two of them. “I’ll be down in my office if you have any more questions.”

“Thanks,” So-Hee muttered.

Lea nodded and gently patted So-Hee’s shoulder before exiting the room. Silence stretched between the two remaining in the room. So-Hee just didn’t want to be here, and the other girl felt the same. After a few minutes, Kelsey finally walked past her to stand in front of a bed on the left. It was second in from the end. She pointed to the sign above it. “This one’s yours,” she said.

So-Hee looked on either side. Kelsey’s bed was to the left of hers, and the one on the end belonged to that Hannah girl. The beds themselves didn’t look all that comfortable. In fact, they looked more like military cots. She bet the mattresses were cheap and thin. That meant it would probably creak. She would have to test it later.

Kelsey didn’t wait for So-Hee, she just turned towards a door at the end of the room. Without any other choice, So-Hee followed her into what reminded her of a high school locker room. She grimaced at the bright pink lockers on her right. Who in the hell would pick those? Across from the lockers was the entrance to the showers. Sure enough, there were several showers lined up on the walls and nothing divided them.

Kelsey pointed to another door. “The bathrooms are behind this door. It’s just private stalls, but that’s it. There are other bathrooms downstairs and the staff bathrooms, but those are off-limits.” Her voice was so muted that So-Hee had to step closer to hear her. “Your uniforms are already in your locker. We get two regular uniforms, one P.E. uniform, and two sets of pajamas.” Kelsey ticked them off with her fingers. “Everything gets washed on the weekends.”

“What about casual clothes?” 

Kelsey shrugged. “We have the clothes we came in, but we’re not allowed to wear them.”

“Stupid,” So-Hee muttered.

“It’s not like we go anywhere else,” Kelsey said. “I guess I’ll show you everything else.” She backtracked to the bedroom and then into the hallway.

So-Hee followed behind while Kelsey pointed out the rec room across the hall from the bedroom. There were a few couches, a television, a shelf of movies that didn’t have many options, and an old ping pong table. It’s not what she expected from a rec room in a school this nice. Or maybe it was a matter of them not giving a shit. They didn’t linger too long.

They walked down the stairs and Kelsey walked by the classrooms to point them out to So-Hee. There were two classrooms. One was for the classes before lunch, and the other was for classes after lunch. Beyond that was the door for the gym. The gym looked like a normal high school gym minus the bleachers. There was a door off to the right with equipment. Another locker room beside it. And an unmarked door beside it.

So-Hee pointed to that door. “What’s this room?” she asked.

“Pool.”

“I thought the pool was outdoor.”

“The indoor one is the staff pool. We’re not allowed in there,” Kelsey answered.

_Ugh._

Kelsey led them outside through a door at the back of the gym. There were a few marked lines outside, she guessed they were for games. It certainly wasn’t a field, but for only ten students it was probably more than adequate. So-Hee was more interested in the woods that bordered the ground. There were no fences. It didn’t seem smart, but it was good for her.

They didn’t linger outside. A bell sounded that made So-Hee wince.

“Classes are over,” Kelsey said. “There’s nothing else to show you really. Most everyone will be in the rec room until dinner if you want to meet them.”

“Thanks,” So-Hee said. She really wasn’t up for meeting everyone else yet. In truth, she was trying to fight the urge to take off into the woods right now.

Kelsey shrugged. She turned her back to So-Hee to go back inside but paused a moment. “Don’t go snooping around. You’ll get in a lot of trouble if you’re caught.”

So-Hee made a face and looked over her shoulder to ask about it, but Kelsey was already going inside. Shrugging she turned back to scan the woods. Would they really give a shit if she took off? Could they find her in all that? A yawn cut off her line of thinking. She was exhausted. Not just sleepy, but tired to the bone. She hadn’t slept well in the past week. And she wouldn’t get far on no rest. Besides, despite her need to get away, she needed an actual plan.

Even though she was tired, she still wasn’t ready to go inside and face anyone. She had met more than enough people for a day. Hell. For a month. So-Hee walked over and sat down on a bench. The sun was warm on her face. Dropping her shoulders, she tried to relax.

So-Hee wasn’t sure how long she sat there. Time just seemed to tick by slowly, but the sky told another story. When dark pinks began to streak across the blue sky, another bell sounded. _It must be the dinner bell._ Standing up, she stretched her arms over her head. If everyone was in the dining room, then she could go to showers without having to be interrupted or bothered.

Waiting a few more minutes, So-Hee eventually made her way from the gym and back up the stairs. When she entered the locker room she searched for the locker with her name on the placard. There were no locks. Privacy clearly wasn’t a thing here. She opened the door. There were also a pair of loafers, socks, and undergarments. It was a relief considering it would suck if she had to use what she came with. One pair wouldn’t get her very far.

She pulled out the pajamas, a pair of dark blue pants and a matching t-shirt. So-Hee looked around for a place to put her dirty clothes and noticed a chute in the wall right before entering the showers. Stripping off her black dress and underthings, she tossed them down the chute. She left her slippers outside of the shower. They didn’t tell her she had to get rid of them. She left her pajamas on the partition and stepped into the showers.

Choosing the first shower, she turned it onto warm and waited for the water to heat up. When it was steaming, she stepped underneath. For a few minutes, she didn’t even do anything but stand underneath the spray. It took her some time to muster the energy to wash her hair. Every showerhead had a recessed space beside it with small bottles of shampoo, body wash, and washcloths. Nothing was scented.

This sucked.

Even for a boarding school, it was weird to her that no one had their own stuff. They all had the same clothes and even had to use the same beauty products. And it was all so…uniform. It reminded her more of a military school than a boarding school. Maybe that was the point.

So-Hee stood under the shower until she felt lightheaded. Taking a towel from the stack outside of the showers, she dried herself off and then sent both the towel and the washcloth down the chute. She pulled on her pajamas and slipped her feet back into her slippers.

The room was still empty when she entered. She pulled back the blanket and the top sheet from her bed and sat on the edge. Raising her wrist, she pulled up the interface on her omnitool, but there was no service. She couldn’t access her messages. So she couldn’t get in touch with anyone on her own. Something else that was strange about this place. With a sigh, she closed the interface and kicked off her slippers and pushed them under the bed.

The mattress was thin as the thought, but right now she didn’t care. Her body was screaming at her to sleep. Even so, she was having a hard time drifting off. She could hear the sound of voices, probably from everyone in the rec room. But there was only one voice she wanted to hear. It would never happen.

Tears welled up, and she blinked furiously to keep them at bay. It wasn’t working this time. They spilled onto her cheeks and she pressed her face into the pillow to keep her sobs quiet. She wanted to go home. She wanted her grandmother to be there. But she was so alone. Not just here, but no matter where she went, she would always be alone. No one loved and understood her like her grandmother did. And no one ever would.

It was so unfair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All kudos, comments, and bookmarks are loved! I hope you guys enjoyed this update.
> 
> You should totally come hang out with me on [Tumblr!](https://wickedwitchofthewilds.tumblr.com)
> 
> If you want to know what kind of music I listen to while writing this then check out my playlist: [Below](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5xMPGKGL2wlaqfPYXbsClZ?si=SDB0_mBGQJm8_i5pKYAUVA)


	3. The Importance of Routines

So-Hee sat in the chair across from a casket. The top lid was open, but she couldn’t see what’s inside. It didn’t matter. She knew it would be her grandmother’s face with her eyes closed and her mouth sewn shut. Isn’t that what morticians did? Or was it that they wired the mouth shut? So-Hee couldn’t remember.

She was the only one here. There was only one chair and she was in it. The outer edges of the room were dark. She didn’t even know if there was a door out of here. Not that she could move. She willed herself to get up and for her legs to carry her away, but she couldn’t even get out of the chair. It was like she was frozen. Trapped.

Her heart thudded in her chest.

Tears dripped down her cheeks and dampened the fabric of her black dress. Her fingers gripped the bottom of the seat and she could feel the metal twisting her hands like putty. But it didn’t help her get up.

_You have to look So-Hee._

“No,” she murmured.

_Say goodbye So-Hee._

“I don’t want to,” she sobbed, her shoulders shaking.

A hand clamped down on her shoulder. Their nails dug into her skin until blood welled from the moon-shaped cuts. But So-Hee refused. This isn’t how she wanted to remember her grandmother. Not how she wanted to see her for the last time. And not how she wanted to say goodbye.

Another hand twisted in her hair and yanked her head back. Min-Seo stared down at So-Hee, her mouth was set in a hard line. “You never listen to me,” she said. The grip in her hair tightened and So-Hee cried out. “Ungrateful brat. I deserved a better child than you.”

_Live like you don’t exist._

“I…I hate you,” So-Hee murmured.

The chair disappeared from underneath her and she was shoved forward. So-Hee slammed into the casket with force. She gripped the edge to keep herself from falling. The wood was cold, but it felt like it was burning her hands. She tried to pull away, but she was stuck. The casket shuddered from her attempts.

She tried not to look at the body in the casket. _It’s not her. It’s not really her._ A creaking sound made her pause. So-Hee squeezed her eyes shut, determined not to look. Something cold and clammy touched her cheek. It might have been a finger. She didn’t want to know. It worked its way towards her eye. She pulled away, trying to get away from the casket.

It brushed her eyelid, and her eyes opened of their own accord. A gasp escaped her lips.

Her grandmother was staring up at her. But her eyes weren’t a deep brown like So-Hee remembered. They were covered in a white film. The creaking sound was her grandmother slowly opening her mouth. The smell hit her like a truck. A fetid, rotting smell. So-Hee’s stomach twisted, and she tried to keep the contents of her stomach down.

Her grandmother’s mouth opened wider and wider, more than a person’s mouth should be able to open. The skin at the corner of her mouth cracked. Focusing on So-Hee, her grandmother’s chest rose like she was drawing in a deep breath and then it compressed suddenly. A loud, shrill bell erupted from her grandmother’s mouth.

So-Hee’s eyes flew open and she sat up. A cacophony of sounds hit her all at once. There was the sound of the showers, chattering, and beds being made.

That’s right.

The school.

She wasn’t home anymore. This was her first morning waking up at school. It must have been the morning bell in her dream that woke her. What a shitty way to wake up. Why couldn’t they have alarm clocks like normal people?

Looking around the room, So-Hee noticed she was the last person to wake up. Half of the students were in the showers. The other half were making their beds, or still sitting on them trying to wake up. The bed to the right of her was neat like it hadn’t even been slept in.

“I’d ask how you slept—”

The voice to her left made her jump. She looked over to see Kelsey sitting on the edge of her bed, running her fingers through her mussed hair.

“But you were crying in your sleep,” she finished, punctuating her sentence with a yawn.

“Sorry,” So-Hee muttered.

Kelsey shrugged. “We all have our fair share of nightmares. It gets easy to ignore after a while.”

So-Hee sat up, kicking her covers off. “How long do we have to get ready?” she asked.

“We have 45 minutes to shower, dress, make our beds, and then 45 minutes for breakfast. If we have bed checks, we have to wake up an extra 15 minutes early,” Kelsey told her while getting out of bed.

“Bed check?”

Kelsey nodded. “Checking to make sure we don’t have anything that’s against the rules or hiding extra food in our beds. Stuff like that.”

“What happens if they find something?”

“Punishment,” Kelsey said, leaning closer to So-Hee and lowering her voice so no one else would hear. “One time they found a box of cookies underneath Lana’s pillow. They weren’t even hers, but they didn’t care. Ms. Pellow made her run laps until she vomited and then made her run some more.”

So-Hee just stared at her, not believing what she was saying, but Kelsey didn’t seem like she was joking. When several seconds ticked by without the “sike” moment, So-Hee realized it wasn’t a joke at all. “What the fuck,” she muttered.

“Yeah.” Kelsey nodded. “Some advice…don’t break the rules. They seem nice, but none of them can be trusted,” she whispered.

“Don’t snoop, don’t break the rules,” So-Hee replied. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Run like hell first chance you get,” Kelsey answered. “And make your bed.” She straightened up and gave So-Hee a look before walking into the showers.

What the fuck kind of place was this?

So-Hee didn’t take a shower. There wasn’t a need after her one last night. She just stepped into the locker room and ignored the sets of eyes boring holes into her back. Shucking off her pajamas, she quickly changed her undergarments and began to pull on her uniform. Considering what Kelsey had said earlier, she didn’t roll up her skirt like she normally would. She tucked her button-up shirt carefully into her skirt and then pulled on the jacket but left it unbuttoned. Her pajamas were hastily folded and tossed back in the locker. It was going to suck to only have two pairs of pajamas to last her a week.

She walked over to the sinks. There were small holders that also had their names on the labels. Each caddy had a toothbrush and tube of toothpaste. So-Hee hated brushing her teeth before breakfast, but she didn’t know if she would get another chance. She brushed quickly, finishing before anyone exited the showers.

Some of the other students had already filtered out of the dorm. They were probably already making their way to the dining hall for breakfast. So-Hee’s stomach rumbled even though she didn’t have much of an appetite. And she doubted they would have anything she actually wanted to eat. That would be impossible no matter where she was.

So-Hee paused in front of a full-length mirror by the door to make sure her uniform was straight. It wasn’t all that different from her last uniform. The colors were just different. So-Hee shoved a strand of brown hair back behind her ear. It wasn’t put back in a braid or a ponytail. No one had told her if there was a particular way her hair had to be. So for now, she left it down. It brushed against the top of her shoulder blades.

Turning on her heel, she walked out the door and down the hall. As she descended the stairs, she could see Lea and the Headmistress speaking. Whatever they were discussing wasn’t audible. But they both looked up when So-Hee reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Ms. Park,” the Headmistress greeted her. “I trust you slept well.”

So-Hee nodded. She didn’t think the truth would go over well. And she sure as hell didn’t want to discuss it with anyone.

“Great,” Lea responded. “Some of the girls are already in the dining hall. Why don’t you join them?”

Lea sort of reminded So-Hee of her old counselors. They would push her to interact with others. To try and make friends. Which So-Hee had a few friends, not good friends, but people she talked to at school. But the counselors didn’t like her hanging out with those kids. They were a bad influence on her, and she was a bad influence on them. Especially when she couldn’t control her anger. Although, she didn’t fight with others as often as she used to. Her grandmother soothed a lot of her sharp edges over the years. But now she was going to have to sharpen them again.

“If you need anything, you know where to find us,” the Headmistress said. It was an end to the interaction.

Thank goodness. The woman put So-Hee on edge. She turned down the hall and walked towards the dining hall. It didn’t smell too atrocious. The food might be okay. Conversations wafted down the hall at her. But they stopped the moment So-Hee walked into the room. Five sets of eyes turned to look at her. Casting her eyes downward, she walked past them to a small buffet spread. Considering how stingy they seemed to be with clothes and shampoo, she wasn’t expecting a decent spread. So she was surprised at the options. Eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, pancakes, veggies, and fruits. At least, they were feeding the students well here.

So-Hee grabbed a tray and took a little of everything except for the pancakes. She grabbed a few packets of strawberry jelly at the end. There was a small refrigerator at the end of the table. Her only options were orange juice, a couple different kinds of milk, and water. Opening the door, she grabbed a bottle of water. It sucked that coffee wasn’t an option.

There was only one long table. Despite Lea’s insistence that the school could handle more students, it seemed more like it was only meant for a small group. So-Hee sat on the end opposite of the girls that were already seated and eating. The cold metal bench seat pressed into her bare thighs. As So-Hee began to eat, the other girls began to walk in to serve themselves. Eventually, all ten of them were present in the dining hall.

And of course, that’s when the trouble started.

So-Hee opened her bottle of water and took a swig. Her tray was empty, but she was waiting for someone else to get up first so she knew where to deposit her tray. Instead, one of the girls from the original group stood up and walked over to So-Hee. She slid into the seat across from So-Hee. Everyone else got quiet. So-Hee saw that as a bad sign.

The girl placed her elbows on the table and leaned forward. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and her brown eyes looked So-Hee up and down. For the first few minutes, she didn’t say anything. But So-Hee knew this game. It’s not the first time she’s played it. Finally, So-Hee raised her chin to stare back at the girl.

_Don’t give them the reaction they want._

“So,” –the girl popped her lips for emphasis— “who hates you enough to send you here?”

“Grace,” Kelsey hissed.

“Let me guess. Daddy?” she continued. “Or is it mommy?”

So-Hee gripped the bench. Her face didn’t change in response to the questions. Normally, she would’ve already threatened to knock this girl out. Given the reputation she had before, she would’ve been taken seriously. But no one knew her here. And even worse, if she got in trouble here the only person they could call was her mother. She wasn’t dealing with that.

“Maybe she’s an orphan,” one of the other girls piped up.

“True,” Grace said. “She doesn’t look like the type to even have parents. Maybe you’re a foster kid. But if they sent you here, then you must be hard to housetrain.”

So-Hee’s fingers tightened until her knuckles went white. The metal compressed in her grip. She was surprised it didn’t make much noise. It must not have been very sturdy to begin with. But she still relaxed her grip. The last thing she needed was someone taking notice. Eventually, Grace would get bored with So-Hee not answering her and she would walk away.

They didn’t reach that point.

The bell interrupted anything else Grace might’ve said to her. With narrowed eyes, Grace stood up from the table. “We’ll continue this later,” she promised—threatened more like.

One by one the other girls stood and took their trays to a conveyer belt. Then there was only her and one other person still sitting. Hannah’s eyes were trained on her. It felt like she was observing So-Hee. But why?

So-Hee stood up from the bench and grabbed her tray. Dumping it on the conveyer belt, she turned around to see Hannah looking at where So-Hee had been sitting. So-Hee’s heart began to race. _Don’t notice. Don’t notice._ Hannah turned to face her like she could hear So-Hee’s internal panic. Her face neutral. So-Hee couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

Hannah stood up from the table and grabbed her own tray. So-Hee took the chance to walk out of the room as quickly as possible. She hated observant people more than anything.

So-Hee stood at the front of the class. This was the part she hated the most. Everyone was sitting down ready for lessons to begin, but she had to stand in front of everyone and wait for the teacher to introduce her. Not that it was necessary. They all knew who she was by now. It was just another opportunity for her to be uncomfortable while everyone’s eyes bored into her.

Ms. Pellow was sitting at her desk at the front of the room. She looked like an awfully mean woman, and So-Hee didn’t just think that because of the vomiting story. The way she looked at the students, it was like she hated being there. Her eyes were cold—much like Min-Seo’s—but there was also a hint of maliciousness. Maybe she enjoyed torturing the students. Hence the making a girl run until she vomited. Only a cruel person could do such a thing.

Ms. Pellow’s beady brown eyes finally focused on So-Hee and her upper lip curled slightly. “Name,” she demanded.

“Park, So-Hee.”

“I’ve never met anyone with the name Park,” Pellow responded.

So-Hee grit her teeth to keep her smart-ass answer to herself. “Park is my last name,” she answered.

“Then say it last,” the woman sneered. “You should’ve already been given the order of the classes; I shouldn’t have to repeat them. The only person you should hear speaking in this classroom when I am in it, is me. I don’t tolerate rule-breakers. Understood?”

_Lady, you wouldn’t last long anywhere else._

“Yes,” So-Hee said.

“Yes, _ma’am_ ,” Pellow corrected. She pointed to the only empty seat in the classroom. It was beside Hannah and behind Kelsey. “Sit. Any materials you need are in the desk. Don’t ask for anything else.”

So-Hee nodded and walked in between the desks to reach her own. When So-Hee sat down she reached into the desk. Sure enough, there were a few different notebooks, folders, pens, and pencils. The textbooks they needed were on the bookshelves behind the desks. One row was empty, and everyone had a textbook on her desk except for her. And there was no way in hell she was asking for one. It didn’t even look like there was an extra one on the shelf. Maybe she was just shit out of luck.

Something nudged her elbow and she jumped. Looking over, she saw an extra textbook in Hannah’s hand. With her eyebrows raised, she was staring at So-Hee. Other than that, her expression was smooth, and So-Hee couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Extending out her arm, she set the book down on So-Hee’s desk. So-Hee nodded her thanks. Hannah shrugged and turned to face the front of the class.

So-Hee didn’t pay much attention to the lecture. In all honesty, she didn’t really care to. Her eyes wandered over the classroom. Over the course of the first lesson, she had noticed that everyone was extremely well-behaved. It wasn’t even like this in her old school, and that was a more prestigious school than this place.

No one passed notes or whispered behind the teacher’s back. Their eyes were either on the teacher or their books. It was weird.

Looking to her side again, she couldn’t help but stare at Hannah. Blue eyes were looking at the teacher but they weren’t focused. Hannah looked as bored as So-Hee felt. As if sensing So-Hee’s gaze, she turned her head to catch So-Hee staring. With pinkened cheeks, So-Hee looked away. She didn’t know why she even blushed. It’s not like she was gawking she was just looking. It wasn’t a big deal that Hannah was pretty. Although, she seemed cold.

 _Get ahold of yourself_.

For the rest of the lesson, So-Hee didn’t look at Hannah again. But every once in awhile she could feel Hannah looking at her. So-Hee ignored that too. The lesson droned on and So-Hee did her best not to fall asleep.

So-Hee expected to go right into the next lesson since they didn’t have to bother switching teachers for it. But the Headmistress walked in right as the lesson ended. Lea was right behind her. They were both carrying trays with cups and saucers balanced carefully on them. Pellow walked behind them, placing the cups down in front of the students.

They got to her last. Pellow slammed the cup and saucer down in front of So-Hee making the china rattle slightly. “Drink up,” she ordered.

The girls picked up their cups at the same time and So-Hee watched them sip the tea carefully. Just when she thought it couldn’t get any weirder. So-Hee looked down into the cup. She could see something floating in the liquid like it was a loose tea, but she couldn’t tell what exactly it was. It also had a weird smell. There was an earthy smell, but also something that smelled like copper and…something rotten.

So-Hee gagged slightly at the smell. Why the fuck were they drinking this? All she knew was she wasn’t fucking drinking it.

“Drink!” Pellow ordered her again.

So-Hee shook her head. “No.”

The other girls twisted in their seats their eyes focused on So-Hee once again. But this time it wasn’t in curiosity. No. This time it was fear.

Pellow leaned down over her desk. “What was that, _Park_?”

“No.”

Pellow opened her mouth to snarl something else at So-Hee, but the Headmistress’ hand came down on her shoulder. “It’s alright,” she murmured. “Why don’t you come with me, So-Hee.”

Pellow’s face was contorted in barely contained rage, but she stepped back and walked back up to the front of the room. The Headmistress looked at Lea and Lea stepped forward to remove the cup. So-Hee relaxed marginally, but not much. Getting out of her chair, she followed the Headmistress out of the room.

They walked in silence to the Headmistress’s office. She could hear the next lesson start behind her, but the Headmistress didn’t seem concerned about it. When they reached the office, she held the door open for So-Hee and closed it behind them. So-Hee was right. The office was huge. To her right was a green plush looking couch that was flanked with two equally plush chairs. There was a bar cart near the couch topped with a decanter filled with an amber liquid. Whiskey or Scotch if she had to guess.

The desk was to the left. Two big windows were behind it, but they were covered with burgundy drapes and darkened the room. The desk had a computer with a large interface that flickered. There were filing cabinets behind the desk. It was nearly as cluttered as Lea’s office. There were no personal pictures, or posters, or little plants anywhere. It was pretty impersonable.

The Headmistress sat behind the desk and gestured for So-Hee to sit in one of the chairs. She turned off the interface and the room was even darker now. “I know this is a difficult transition for you—”

So-Hee sat down in one of the chairs and placed her hands in her lap.

“You’re not the first student to have a hard time adjusting,” the Headmistress continued. “That’s why we establish routines. I do realize they seem strange.”

“Seem?” So-Hee scoffed unable to keep quiet. “It’s weird. Everything about this school is… _weird_.”

The Headmistress nodded. “I understand it seems that way. But we have found that in establishing practices, albeit strange ones, our students feel more comfortable. It’s hard adjusting to change, but once one slips into the routine it becomes like second nature. It becomes normal and comfortable.” She stood up from her desk and walked around to sit in the chair next to So-Hee. A small sigh escaped her lips. “All of our students come from a…difficult background. And establishing a sense of normalcy is important to make them feel at home.”

So-Hee hated that it made sense.

“Of course, if you feel like you simply cannot cope then we can do something about it.” She stood up and reached over the desk to pull something on top. It was an old phone, So-Hee had only ever seen them in museums before. How in the hell did they manage to make it work? Did they have to use it because the signal here sucked? Although she didn’t understand that either. Or maybe the Headmistress was heavy into nostalgia.

The Headmistress took the receiver off the hook and handed it to So-Hee. It was heavy in So-Hee’s hand. “We can call your mother to come get you,” the Headmistress said.

“I—”

“But I think we know the truth of that So-Hee,” the Headmistress cut her off before she could respond. “Your mother dumped you on my doorstep because she didn’t want you.”

So-Hee’s hand tightened around the receiver. Her throat dried up, but her eyes began to feel wet.

“Would she even answer if you called?”

She swallowed hard. _No._ Her mother wouldn’t. Whether she liked it or not, So-Hee was stuck here for the time being. If she called Min-Seo there would be hell to pay. And she didn’t want to. She had dealt with that woman enough. With shaky hands, she put the phone back with a click. The Headmistress leaned back and nodded.

“You can be at home here, So-Hee. The other girls…they’re more like you than you may think. Don’t you want to fit in for once?” she asked.

“Yes,” So-Hee answered, her voice raspy.

“Good girl,” the Headmistress patted So-Hee on the head.

On cue, Lea opened the door and stepped inside with a tray. There was only one cup. It was the cup So-Hee refused to drink from earlier. She set it down on the desk in front of So-Hee. With eyes steady on her, So-Hee gripped the cup by the handle. She tried not to gag at the scent. The taste was even worse than she expected. She didn’t know how the others stomached drinking it every day. But So-Hee drank every last bit. She set the cup back on the desk with a grimace.

“Don’t worry, So-Hee,” Lea said.

So-Hee looked up at her, but everything felt fuzzy around the edges. It was hard to focus.

“You’ll fit in in no time.”

So-Hee sat in the rec room. The other girls were watching something on the TV, but she wasn’t paying attention. She had been so tired all day. She even had to bow out of P.E. and sleep in the nurse’s office. Although no one seemed particularly surprised by it. And no one stopped her or tried to accuse her of lying. But not even that small nap had helped her. She was exhausted.

The rest of the day had just…happened. She was sure she had eaten lunch, attended her other classes, and even gone to dinner. But she couldn’t say what she had eaten or learned. Now here she was again, sitting in front of the TV and blinking at the images, but nothing was sticking. She just wanted to go back to sleep again.

Maybe she was coming down with something. Or maybe it was the entire week catching up with her finally.

All she knew was she relieved when Lea poked her head in and told everyone to get ready for bed. Her eyes lingered on So-Hee for a few seconds, but she backed out of the room and her footsteps faded down the hallway.

Despite the many opportunities to do so, the other girls didn’t pick on her at all. They mostly seemed to stay away from her. Except for when it came time to get ready for bed. Eyes were on her constantly while she fumbled around trying to find her clothes and navigate the showers. It seemed like there was someone helping her in some small way. Her water was turned on and adjusted, someone handing her shampoo or a washcloth, and even handing her toothbrush to her. Every time she tried to thank them, they were already gone. Maybe she imagined it.

So-Hee’s eyes closed the moment her head hit the pillow.

_Are you sure?_

_Shhh. You’ll wake her._

_I’m telling you. This one…she’s special._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All kudos, comments, and bookmarks are loved! I hope you guys enjoyed this update.
> 
> You should totally come hang out with me on [Tumblr!](https://wickedwitchofthewilds.tumblr.com)
> 
> If you want to know what kind of music I listen to while writing this then check out my playlist: [Below](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5xMPGKGL2wlaqfPYXbsClZ?si=SDB0_mBGQJm8_i5pKYAUVA)


	4. No Signal

So-Hee did her best to keep her head down. In the morning she ate her breakfast by herself. In class she didn’t make a peep. And when they served that disgusting tea, she would drink every last bit even though it made her want to vomit. Yet no matter what, Pellow hated her. The hardass was constantly glaring at her during class.

But it didn’t stop there.

Pellow was also the gym teacher. And she ran So-Hee ragged. Every class started with a run—So-Hee had to run twice as far as the others—then it was skill drills over and over and over again. Then when class was over, she had to clean up the equipment. By herself. No one stayed behind to help. But So-Hee didn’t mind that.

It was rare for her to find time away from the others. This gave her a moment to herself. Every day she would open her omnitool. And every day there was still no signal. If anyone was looking for her, she couldn’t reach out to them. Not while in the building.

So-Hee’s eyes strayed to the window. To the woods. Maybe she could find a signal out there. Maybe she could reach someone then. But how would she get out there? She would to go in the middle of the night when everyone was sleeping. It was the only way she wouldn’t get caught. Getting caught would be bad. Getting caught meant they would contact her mother. And she couldn’t have that.

Five days after arriving at the school, So-Hee woke up in the middle of the night. She was the only one. Quietly, she slipped out of her bed and crept to the door. The sound of footsteps outside the door made her freeze. _Fuck._ Did they walk the halls at night?

With a whispered curse, she snuck back to her bed. She heard the door open right as she pulled the blankets back up to her chin. So-Hee squeezed her eyes shut and deepened her breathing. Her heart pounded in her ears. _Please believe I’m asleep._ The footsteps moved through the middle of the room. She heard them walk past all of the beds and then stop.

So-Hee cracked one eye open slowly, just to see who it was. Richard Bardon stood in front of the bathroom door. He was the other teacher. Not nearly as much of an ass as Pellow, but So-Hee still felt there was something off about him. His eyes moved around the room. _Don’t notice me._ So-Hee focused on keeping her breathing even.

Seconds passed, each one longer than the last, before Bardon moved. She expected him to leave, but he walked to the bed beside her. Hannah’s bed. He reached down, touching Hannah on the shoulder. So-Hee watched as Hannah rolled over, glaring at Bardon, before she threw her blanket off and stood up. They whispered to each other—the words too low for So-Hee to hear—and then Bardon led her away. So-Hee carefully turned her head. They left the room, the door closing behind them quietly.

When they were gone, So-Hee sat up, her blanket falling away. Why would Bardon come in and then take Hannah away? What the fuck was going on?

~

The bell rang even on a Saturday. So-Hee groaned and pulled the covers over her head. What kind of place had a bell on Saturday? Why couldn’t they sleep in? She wanted to sleep in. Rebel just a little bit. But she knew at least one person who would be on her ass if she tried. With a grunt, she shoved the blankets down and forced herself to sit up before she could change her mind. It brought her face to face with Hannah who was sitting on her own bed, facing So-Hee.

Despite the early hour, Hannah did look at all tired or mussed from sleep. Her blue eyes looked So-Hee up and down. So-Hee remembered Hannah getting out of bed and leaving with Bardon. She wanted to ask why, but she also wondered if it was real. Maybe she had dreamed it? If that were true, she would look like a weirdo.

She didn’t get a chance. Hannah stood up from the bed and made her way into the bathroom where most of the other girls were. And So-Hee definitely wasn’t going to ask her in front of everyone. She would let it go for now.

Making her bed and getting ready for the day was a slog. She dragged her feet while getting dressed—wearing her uniform on a weekend was bullshit—and was the last one to make it down for breakfast. Just like in the beginning of the week, she sat by herself and at her eggs and toast. The others still treated her like an outsider. It stung, but it would also be better in the end. No one would give a shit if she disappeared. And she would…eventually.

After dropping off her tray, she followed the others to the assignment board. She just hoped she wasn’t stuck with Grace. The girl hadn’t bothered since that first day, but she was probably just waiting for a prime opportunity. Bullies weren’t easily thwarted.

She breathed a little easier when she saw she was paired with Kelsey. The girl was quiet and didn’t have it out for So-Hee. It was doable. They were cleaning the dorms and common room. Ugh. So-Hee wasn’t looking forward to that. Other people could be disgusting. Especially when they were packed together like sardines.

Before she followed Kelsey upstairs, she saw Grace and Hannah go towards the gym. She almost wished she was paired with Hannah instead. Then she could ask her about last night. She shook her head. _Oh well._ She jogged up the stairs after Kelsey.

She was led to a closet on the second floor that kept the cleaning supplies. It was a large closet with shelving on either side that held bottles of window cleaner, bathroom cleaner, and all-purpose cleaner. Two piles of cleaning rags sat beside the bottles. There were two mop buckets sitting side by side towards the back of the closet. It felt bigger than it needed to be.

It could also be a good place to hide.

So-Hee filed that away for later. The teachers walked the halls at night, but if she could find hiding spots on the way then she would be able to sneak out while avoiding them. If there was enough time after cleaning, she was going to explore.

Kelsey didn’t talk much. And they couldn’t even play music while cleaning. Which made it boring. It made So-Hee long for the mornings of Celine Dion blaring over the speakers and her grandmother singing along while they cleaned together. She found herself tearing up while she sprayed cleaner on the shower tiles. It was easier to tell herself it was because of the bleach.

But she knew better.

So-Hee cleaned most of the bathroom by herself—the toilet was the worst of it—while Kelsey cleaned the dorms by herself. It took the entire morning. And by the time the lunch bell rang, they were done. They put the cleaning supplies back in the closet and sent the dirty rags down the laundry chute before going back downstairs.

This time she sat beside Kelsey, but they still didn’t speak. The other girls slowly trickled in and grabbed their food. From their chatter, it seemed as if they were done or almost done with their own chores. All except for Grace and Hannah. Laundry was apparently an all-day job. So-Hee was glad she didn’t have to do it.

Listening to the other girls talk made her feel lonely. They had struck up some form of friendship and she couldn’t even do that. It wasn’t just because she wasn’t going to try—nothing was going to keep her from trying to leave here—but they weren’t going to either. It wasn’t an all that different experience from going to a normal school. She didn’t really have any friends there either.

After lunch, she sat in the cafeteria by herself for a few minutes. She wished Seo-Joon were here. Not only would he help her, but she wouldn’t feel so alone. Looking around the make sure she was alone, So-Hee opened her omnitool. Disappointment settled in her stomach like lead when she saw that there was still no signal. She quickly closed it. If she could just get to the woods, then maybe she could send a message to him.

She had time to walk around and explore until dinner. All she had to do was map out a route. Once she did that, she could sneak out into the woods. She would send her message. And maybe, just maybe, Seo-Joon would come find her. Save her. If not, she would at least have a way to save herself.

So-Hee waited until it was late. It was pitch black outside. Everyone was asleep. Well everyone that was in bed was asleep. When So-Hee rolled over, she noticed Hannah’s bed was empty. _Should I change my plan?_ But she didn’t want to wait any longer. If she did, she may lose her nerve.

No one stirred as she pushed her blankets off and stood up from her bed. Nor did they stir while she tip-toed to the door. So-Hee pressed her ear to the wood. It was quiet, unlike the night before. Maybe the staff was in bed too and she wouldn’t have to worry. It was a lot to hope for.

She gripped the knob and slowly turned it. Her palms were already sweaty. The door opened with a click and she pulled it open. She stepped into the hall and closed the door behind her before she could wake anyone. It was dark and empty. She gave her eyes a moment to adjust before she padded over to the stairs.

So far, so good.

The stairs were blessedly quiet as she descended. She hugged the banister so she didn’t step in the middle. The downstairs was just as dark. Perhaps she had waited long enough and everyone was truly asleep. With no lights to illuminate her path, So-Hee relied on her memory to guide her to the gym. The windows in the gym didn’t bring in any light but it was easier for her to see where she was going.

Her fingers curled around the metal bar to the door. _Please don’t be rigged._ So-Hee pushed open the door and paused. She waited for the sound of alarms. But nothing came. She heaved a sigh of relief.

The sky thundered overhead as So-Hee walked outside. Wet grass tickled her feet. Would she get a signal in the storm? There was only one way to find out. She opened her omnitool, the orange glow illuminating her face. No signal.

“Fuck,” she mumbled.

Her eyes moved to the trees. Would she truly have a better chance in there? Logically, the answer was no. But the was pretty sure the school was isolated on purpose. Maybe a dampener. Would it work that far? There was only one way to find out.

But So-Hee found herself hesitant. Why? She scrubbed a hand down her face. What if she was caught? They would definitely call Min-Seo. Was it worth it? There was no guarantee Seo-Joon could even help her now. Or that anyone could. She could try her aunt, but So-Hee didn’t want to be disappointed.

Lightning streaked across the sky.

She may not get another chance. So-Hee drew in a deep breath and ran. The grass was slippery. It was sheer luck she didn’t bust her ass. She had to be quick. As soon as she reached the trees, she stopped and opened her omnitool. Still nothing. She closed it again and walked a few more feet. Nothing. She didn’t want to go too far. She hadn’t planned for actually running away and wasn’t prepared if she got lost.

“Come on!” she hissed at her omnitool.

With her omnitool open, she kept walking. Hoping. Even saying a little prayer under her breath. She felt her hope slipping away with every step. Until one solid bar showed up. So-Hee nearly shouted with joy. She shoved her fist to her mouth to muffle herself. Finally. One bar was all she needed.

A swipe of her finger and her contact information popped up. The name at the top sobered her instantly. It’s the one person she wished she could call. The one person who would save her instantly. Hell, her grandmother never would’ve let Min-Seo do this in the first place. So-Hee scrolled away from the name. Seo-Joon was second on her list. Her very small contact list.

He would still be in boot camp. She wasn’t even sure how often he would be able to check his e-mail. If he was able to at all. But she had to try something. And at least she trusted him. However, there was another problem.

She didn’t know what the hell to say.

Where did she start? Did he already know her grandmother was gone? Did he know Min-Seo had sent So-Hee somewhere? She didn’t even know where she was. How the hell could she tell him? Could he trace the e-mail? So-Hee caught her bottom lip with her teeth. Maybe she could add the name of the school?

_I don’t even know it. Fuck._

To: Nam, Seo-Joon

From: Park, So-Hee

I need help. I don’t know where I am. Call Soo-Young. Maybe she knows.

And no this isn’t a joke. I’m safe, but I can’t stay here.

So-Hee

It was as good a message as any. She hit send before losing the measly signal bar she had. So-Hee closed the omnitool. Maybe it would reach Seo-Joon. Maybe it wouldn’t. This couldn’t be her only plan. She would have to make another. A better one. An actual escape plan.

For now, she walked out of the woods. Rain fell from the clouds in a sheet. It soaked the ground. And her. Still, she ran back to the gym, stopping under the awning to brush her wet hair from her face.

“Some weather, huh?”

So-Hee froze. A small light flickered to life in the corner of her eye. She turned toward it. Hannah leaned against the brick beside the doors. Her blonde hair was pulled up in a ponytail and she was still in her uniform except the shirt was untucked and partially unbuttoned. A cigarette hung from her lips, the tip smoldering in the dark. Her lips were curved in a smile.

“Busted.”


End file.
